We all know (or should), that faith is subjective. Religious belief is not something that can be proved in this life, therefore, what we have is a belief that we are correct.
Given this, how can people justify their intolerance, hatred and discrimination against others?
We have people who think witches should still be killed, based on a misrepresentation of their own scripture. They also claim that homosexuals are evil, and some rejoice when one dies.
Some, in the name of religion in the past were responsible for killing untold thousands of people of differing faiths. It is not unlikely that if it were legally permissible that they would do so today.
With no objective proof possible, and with contradictory religious viewpoints around, and no objective way to determine which is true, how can anyone justify evil toward another based on religious viewpoints?
2007-11-12 14:41:59 · 14 answers · asked by Deirdre H 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Excellent question! I am a Christian (Church of Christ), and as such I try my best to gain a full understanding of God's word. Regardless of MY religious beliefs, and how I feel about another religion, there is NO justification for hatred. I think what starts the hatred is ignorance in one's own religious belief. Violence starts when someone feels threatened. Homophobe? Kill 'em. Scared of witches and warlocks? Kill 'em. These folks all do this allegedly in the name of the Lord. It saddens me to see this. I look at someone with differing views not as a threat but as a possible soul that can be won for Christ. If someone doesn't agree with me? So be it, all I can do is pray and try to live my life right to lead by example.
2007-11-12 14:51:43 · answer #1 · answered by cute_niss 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People use the Bible and religion as a fiddle to play whatever tune they want. Many of those are of hatred and end in the deaths of many innocent people. When you read the Bible the theme you see is love. The love that Jesus had for the people that were putting up with far too much crap from the religious leaders at the time, God for sending prophet after prophet to tell the people to stop worshiping other gods, etc.
So if a religion claims to follow the Bible (Which about 2 billion people claim), why don't they try to act like their god? Because they lose sight of that and get wrapped up in the sensationalism of modern politics and the desire to feel elevated above one's fellow man.
Where's the whole "swords into plowshares" thing, people?!
2007-11-12 14:49:59 · answer #2 · answered by Lobster 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Religious people are not the only ones that discriminate and justify their intolerance, hatred and discrimination.
Actually discrimination is not a bad word. You discriminated against whatever outfits you chose not to wear. You discriminated against people when you chose who you would include as a close friend. You discriminate against other people when you choose a spouse. You should make wise discriminating choices of the people you choose to associate with.
We all have biases based on our own belief system. We should all try to respect the differences and live peacefully with those that dont share the same beliefs. But people dont have to tolerate when someone is threatening how they want their society to be shaped. They have every right to try to push back and try to shape society into how it is they want it to be like, too.
People keep saying that its religion that killed and religion that discriminated, but if you look at history it just wasnt true. Religious wars have never been about religion. It has been about land and greed. Hitler didnt slaughter the jews because of his religion. He did it for power and control and because they guy was a little messed up. Plenty of atheist gvts have killed millions and millions. Why did those people kill if its all about religion?
It is about power over other people. It is about greed and land.
It is hardly ever about religion.
2007-11-12 14:49:21 · answer #3 · answered by cadisneygirl 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am not religious, so I consider myself to be quite neutral in this catagory (religion). I also studied world religions greatly in college. Loved it and found it extremely entertaining. Naturally, being a woman, any religion that shuns a woman, or sets limitations upon her makes me cringe, but I also understand that some religions are that way, and its not my place nor my responsibility to change it. Now, with that being said....It is also my opinion that these religions should be kept where they were born and where they are accepted. If you come into my country and your religion offends me, YOU need to adapt! NOT me! Don't criticize me and others alike for having a poor opinion for muslims when it is muslims who murdered and are still attempting and plotting to murder non-muslim men, women, and babies! And I'll stop there, otherwise I'll just get angry at this point. On a good note, Buddhism is a really cool religion.
2016-04-03 21:58:20 · answer #4 · answered by Jane 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
C. S. Lewis wrote, "But surely the reason we do not execute witches is that we do not believe there are such things. If we did--if we really thought that there were people going about who had sold themselves to the devil and received supernatural powers from him in return and were using these powers to kill their neighbours or drive them mad or bring bad weather, surely we would all agree that if anyone deserved the death penalty, then these filthy quislings did."
The bigger problem is in equating dissent with "intolerance, hatred, and discrimination." Christians disagree with the pretend witchcraft of paganism and with homosexual practices.
That doesn't mean we are intolerant, for we don't take any active steps to forbid pretend witchcraft or homosexual coupling.
It doesn't mean we hate pretend witches and homosexuals, because we want pretend witches and homosexuals to be happy, and their beliefs and practices prevent their reconciliation with God, who is the source of happiness.
It doesn't mean we discriminate against pretend witches and homosexuals, because we accord them the exact same rights we expect for ourselves. For example, homosexuals are free to get married to an eligible partner, just as my wife and I were free to marry as unmarried, nonrelative adults of the opposite sex.
It is getting hard to have a reasonable disagreement when one side accuses dissenters of intolerance, hatred, and discrimination.
Cheers,
Bruce
2007-11-13 03:50:23 · answer #5 · answered by Bruce 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are so right . discriminations and murder cannot be tolerated or justified by religious belief. this is where the confusion comes; in supernatural thinking which can justify anything.A morality based on the nature of life should be clearly against anything that goes against life itself.
2007-11-12 14:55:18 · answer #6 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not in a truly secular society and that is one reason the hard-core people of faith have established secularism as the number one enemy. They can’t establish a society based on hatred and exclusion while secularism holds sway.
2007-11-13 00:45:07 · answer #7 · answered by keith_housand 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What these people do, in brief, is scour the Bible - or whatever text they rely on - to find verses that will support their most cherished convictions, ie., 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live', 'If a man lies with another man', etc. Sad, that they would pervert their own sacred texts for such a purpose.
2007-11-12 16:11:06 · answer #8 · answered by irish1 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No one can justify evil toward anyone based on their religion. We are to love one another, regardless. Period. We don't have to accept or agree w/ their religion but we must love them.
2007-11-12 14:46:45 · answer #9 · answered by Kaliko 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe my personal beliefs are correct, there's no right and wrong when it comes to belief, and I don't discriminate, I'm an equal opportunity offender
2007-11-12 14:46:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋